Click on this key icon to return to the main Sephardic SIG page.
It will be helpful for the reader of this section to first go to the page about the general origins of Jewish names (just click here). This will provide a better basis for understanding this section.

Because Jewish Sephardic names are often so ancient, discovering the origins and meanings of these names can be of interest. There is no way I can list all Sephardic names here, but this is a sampling that can give the reader an idea. I have elected to skip Jewish names that were simply adopted from existing spanish names (Rodriguez, Henriquez, etc.) because I cannot provide a meaning to them of Jewish interest other than that they were adopted from Spanish names - usually their Catholic godfather when forcibly converted. Many of these families reverted to Judaism when able to do so.

Please do not write to ask about the meaning of your own name. I am flooded with queries as it is and already feel guilty at my inability to get to them all. If your name is not listed, make it a project to discover its meaning. Start by going to my listing of books and search for yourself. Be a detective. That is what makes genealogy fun!

Name

Variants

Origin

Meaning

Notes

Abenrey

Malka,Ben Rey,Ibn Rey,Avenreyna,Ben Melekh,Reyno,Soberano

Hispanic-Arabic

son of king

Abitbol

Toboul,Abitboul (see also Botbol)

Arab

Drummer (taboula)

Abrabanel,Abravanel

unk

unk

ancient family said to descend from King David

Abulafia

Boulafia, Alafia

Arabic

Possessor of strength/health or well being (afia)

some Moslem families carry this name.

Aknin

Aqnine, ben Aknine

Berber

Jacob

Albaz

Elbaz,Elvas,ben..

Arabic

Falconer, also locality in spain

Alfassi

Elfassi,Fasi,Defaz

Arabic

from Fez, Morocco

Anonios

Greek

Eternal

Found in Ioannina

Aragon

De Aragon

Spanish

from Aragon

Moslems and Jews both carry this name

Arapis

Greek

Arab

Found in Ioannina

Ashkenazi

Eshkanazi, Eskinazi

Hebrew

means German

Assouline

Asulin,ben..,Benasuly

Berber

Rocks

Azulay

ben..

Berber or Spanish

Good (Ber), blue eyes (Sp)

Barcilon

Barchilon,Barcilon,Bargeloni

Hebrew

old name of Barcelona

<

Ben Sushan

ben Sussan

Persian

name of ancient Persian capital

Botbol

Tebol,Boutbol. (See also Abitbol)

Arab

drum maker or seller

Cabalero

Caballero,Cabaliero

Spanish

Knight or horseman

Cardoza

Cartoso,

Spanish/Port.

from town in Guadalajara, Spain or Viseu, Port

Caro

Spanish

dear or beloved

Carvalho

Cabalo

Portuguese

Oaktree,
town in Portugal

Castorianos

Greek

from Castoria

Castro

Decastro

Spanish/Portuguese

Jewish fortress in Leon

Charbit

Sharbit

Hebrew

Sceptre

Cohen

multiple combined names

Hebrew

Priest

Crespin

Crispin,Crispin,aven..,ben..

Spanish

Spanish Curly (hair)

Dalyan

Dalven

Turkish

fishnets/fishpond

found in Ioannina

Danon

Dondon,aben..,.abendanno

Spanish/Heb

Judge

Dayan

Hebrew

Judge

De Aragon

Ragon. (See also Aragon)

Spanish

Kingdom in Spain

De Fez

Alfassi

Arabic

from Fez, Morocco

De Silva

Da Silva

Spanish/Portuguese

from the forest (Silva)
blackberry bush

De Soto

Soto, Del Soto

Spanish

Swamp

Enriquez

Henriquez, Henriques

Spanish

Son of Henri

Spanish/Portug name adopted by converso family at forced conversion

Ferreres

Ferares, ben..

Spanish

Blacksmith, or from towns in Majorca or Zamora

Foinquinos

Follinquinos,Foyinquinos

Greco-Latin

Phonecian

Franco

Franca can be seen as first name

Spanish

Freed (from taxes or bondage)

Gabbay

Gabai,Avin..,Cabay

Hebrew

In talmudic era were alms collectors, in Spain:tax collectors

Gaguin

Gagin

Spanish

Town in Pontevedra, Spain

Galanos

Greek

Blue-eyed

Guedalia

Guadella,Guedalha

Hebrew

Elevated by God

Hakim

Elhakim,Alhakim,Hkim

Arab

Physician or sage

Halfon

Khalfon,Jalfon,Alfon,Halpen

Arab

Replacement (like Makhlouf)

Hamu

Hammou,Hamuy

Arab

Father-in-law,heat (Ham Hebr), Berber tribe

Hasdai

Hasday, Chasdai, ben .., Acday, Azday

Aramaic

Goodness

Hazan

Azan,Chasan,Ha-Hazan

Hebrew

Official,cantor

Kampanaris

Greek

Bells

found in Ioannina, Greece

Kokkinos

Greek

Red (redhead?)

Laredo

Spanish

Town in Santander,Castile

Levy

Halevy,Levita

Hebrew

Levy tribe

Lombroso

Spanish

Translation of Hebrew Nehora or Eir, luminous

Lugasi

Lugashi

Arabic

From town of Lugas in Oviedo

Maimon

ben..,Mainonides,Mimon,Maymo

Hebrew

Fortunate,lucky

Malka

ben Melekh,Soberano,Ibn Rey,Reino,Malki,Abimelekh

Aramean

King in Aramean, From Malaga

Malqui

Malka,Almalqui,Almalki,Maleque,Malaki

Spanish

from Malaga

Mandil

Arab

Apron

Marcus

Marcos

Spanish

plural of Marco (measuring weight)

Medina

De Medina

Hebrew, Arabic

State (Hebr.); town (Arab.); several in Spain

Mizrahi

see also Ben Ashurqui, De Levante, Shuraqui

Hebrew

Eastern

Montefiore

Italian

from Montefiore in Papal states

Moreno

ben..

Spanish

Brown

Nahon

Heb/Spanish

from town of Naon in Oviedo, Spain

Nahman

ben Nahman

Biblical

Lord will heal or console

Navaro

Nabaro

Spanish

Navarre kingdom

Obadya

Obadiah, Ovadia, Abdias, etc

Hebrew

Servant of God

Ohanna

O'Hana, Bohana, Abuhana, Abuhenna

Berber (O=son)

son (O) of Hanna

Ohayon

Berber (O=son) + Hebrew (Hayon)

son (O) of Life (Hayon)

Oiknine

Waknin, Ouaknin, ben.., etc.

Berber

Son of Jacob

Patish

Betache (N. Africa)

Hebrew

Hammer

In Greece, N. Africa

Perez

Biblical

The grandson of Jacob

Pereira

Portuguese

Peartree

Many Jews forced to convert to Chritianity took on the names of trees.